Firearm Hand Guard Cap Interface

ABSTRACT

A hand guard for a firearm, the firearm being of a type comprising a barrel with a proximal hand guard retainer at a proximal end and a hand guard cap at a distal end. The hand guard cap comprises an end wall having an orifice configured to axially receive the barrel, and a proximally extending flange defining a select shape surrounding the orifice. The hand guard comprises at least first and second body pieces configured to mate lengthwise about a barrel of a firearm between a proximal hand guard retainer and a hand guard cap to form the hand guard. The body pieces cooperatively form a proximal hand guard retainer interface at a proximal end of the hand guard a hand guard cap interface at a distal end. The hand guard cap interface is configured to engage a first select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a first hand guard cap and a second select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a second hand guard cap.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is directed toward firearm hand guards and more particularly to a hand guard cap interface for receiving hand guard caps of different shapes.

BACKGROUND

Modern firearms, in particular, combat firearms such as assault rifles, are often designed to be modular in nature so that a basic firearm platform can be extremely versatile, filling a wide variety of needs from close urban combat to sniper fire. One area in particular where it can be desirable to provide alternative configurations is a rifle hand guard. The hand guard receives the firearm barrel and typically resides between a distal end of a housing and a barrel sight. In one typical embodiment the hand guard consists of two pieces, a hand guard upper and a hand guard lower, which are constructed to engage along their lengths to define the hand guard. In one known embodiment, the distal ends of the upper and lower cooperate to define a hand guard cap interface so that when mounted on a compatible firearm, the distal end of the upper and the distal end of the lower are brought together in engagement with the hand guard cap. The proximal ends of the hand guard upper and hand guard lower are then brought together and held in place by a proximal hand guard retainer such as a delta ring on the distal end of the housing.

One problem with the system as described above is that the hand guard caps may be of different shapes and thus a single hand guard cap interface may not work with a hand guard cap associated with a particular firearm.

The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.

SUMMARY

A first aspect of the present invention is a hand guard for a firearm, the firearm being of a type comprising a barrel with a proximal hand guard retainer at a proximal end and a hand guard cap at a distal end. The hand guard cap comprises an end wall having an orifice configured to axially receive the barrel, and a proximally extending flange defining a select shape surrounding the orifice. The hand guard comprises at least first and second body pieces configured to mate lengthwise about a barrel of a firearm between the proximal hand guard retainer and the hand guard cap to form the hand guard. The body pieces cooperatively form a proximal hand guard retainer interface at a proximal end of the hand guard a hand guard cap interface at a distal end. The hand guard cap interface is configured to engage a first select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a first hand guard cap and a second select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a second hand guard cap.

In one embodiment, the distal end of the at least first and second body pieces cooperatively form the hand guard cap interface when the at least first and second body pieces are mated lengthwise about a firearm barrel. In another embodiment, the at least first and second body pieces are attached to the barrel by axially engaging the distal end of each body piece forming the hand guard cap interface with a cooperating portion of the hand guard cap proximally extending flange and engaging the proximal hand guard retainer interface with the proximal hand guard retainer. In one embodiment, the hand guard cap interface is configured to receive the first select shape in the form of a circle and the second select shape in the form of a triangle. In one embodiment, the hand guard cap interface comprises a plurality of distally extending bosses extending from the distal end of each of the at least first and second body pieces. The distally extending bosses may form a peripheral interface configured to engage the first select shaped proximally extending flange by being received therein and a channel interface configured to engage the second shaped proximally extending flange by capturing the flange in a second shaped channel. In one embodiment, the peripheral interface is circular and the channel interface is triangular. The channel interface may be formed in part by an inner surface of sliver-shaped bosses and the peripheral interface is formed in part by an outer surface of the sliver-shaped bosses.

Another aspect of the invention is a hand guard cap interface for a hand guard for a firearm. The hand guard is configured to be received between a hand guard cap and a proximal hand guard retainer operatively associated with a barrel of a firearm. The hand guard cap comprises an end wall and a proximally extending flange defining a select shape. The hand guard cap interface comprises a plurality of distally extending bosses, the distally extending bosses being configured to engage a first select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a first hand guard cap and a second select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a second hand guard cap. The first select shape may be in the form of a circle and the second select shape may be in the form of a triangle. The distal extending bosses may form a peripheral interface configured to engage the first select shaped proximally extending flange by being received therein and a channel interface configured to engage the second shaped proximally extending flange by capturing the flange in a second shaped channel. In one embodiment, the peripheral interface is circular and the channel interface is triangular.

The hand guard cap interface for a hand guard of the present invention is configured to receive hand guard caps of different shapes. Because hand guard caps predominantly come in only two shapes, the hand guard cap interface is useful with most known hand guard caps, thus alleviating the need for stocking a particular hand guard for each known hand guard cap likely to be encountered. The hand guard cap interface could be modified to engage hand guard caps of more than two shapes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a firearm featuring a hand guard having a hand guard cap interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 1 with a hand guard cap and a barrel sight removed to reveal the hand guard cap interface;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a distal end of the firearm hand guard of FIG. 1 featuring a hand guard cap interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the firearm hand guard of FIG. 3 featuring the hand guard cap interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a left side elevation view of a distal end of a firearm hand guard featuring the hand guard cap interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of first and second hand guard portions separated lengthwise to reveal their cooperative mating structure;

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a circular hand guard cap;

FIG. 7B is a perspective view of a triangular hand guard cap;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a distal end of the firearm hand guard of FIG. 3 with a circular hand guard cap receiving the hand guard cap interface in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the circular hand guard cap received on the hand guard cap interface of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a distal end of the firearm hand guard of FIG. 3 with a triangular hand guard cap received in the firearm hand guard cap interface in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of the triangular hand guard cap received on the hand guard cap interface as depicted in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, dimensions reaction conditions and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”.

In this application and the claims, the use of the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. In addition, use of “or” means “and/or” unless stated otherwise. Moreover, the use of the term “including”, as well as other forms, such as “includes” and “included”, is not limiting. Also, terms such as “element” or “component” encompass both elements and components comprising one unit and elements and components that comprise more than one unit unless specifically stated otherwise.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a firearm 10 comprising a barrel 12 extending from a housing 14. A hand guard retainer 16 extends distally from a distal end of the housing 14. A hand guard 18 receives the barrel 12 and is held in place relative to the barrel 12 by a hand guard cap 20 at the distal end of the barrel 12 that engages a distal end of the hand guard 18 and the hand guard retainer 16 which engages a proximal end of the hand guard 18. The hand guard cap 20 is in turn held in place axially of the barrel 12 by the barrel sight 22, which, in the illustrated embodiment, is a sight triangle. FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 only with the sight triangle 22 removed, the hand guard cap 20 removed and a distal cowling 24 of the hand guard 18 removed to reveal the hand guard cap interface 26 at the distal end of the hand guard 18.

Referring to FIG. 3, which is a perspective view of the distal end of the hand guard 18 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 without the barrel 12, the hand guard cap interface 26 comprises a plurality of distally extending bosses 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 39A and 39B. The hand guard 18 as depicted herein comprises a first body part or hand guard upper 40 and a second body part or hand guard lower 42. Other embodiments could include additional body parts. The body parts extend lengthwise and are configured to mate lengthwise over a barrel of a firearm received therein. FIG. 6 depicts the hand guard upper 40 separated from the hand guard lower 42 and reveals an interlocking structure 43 spaced lengthwise of the hand guard upper 40 and hand guard lower 42 to help maintain the hand guard upper 40 and hand guard lower 42 together, as will be described in greater detail below. Referring back to FIG. 3, the distally extending bosses 28, 30, 32 extend further distally from the distal end of the hand guard 18 than the sliver shaped bosses 34, 36, 38. The distally extending bosses 30, 32 extend from the hand guard upper 40 and the boss 28 is defined by boss segments extending from the hand guard upper 40 and the hand guard lower 42 to cooperatively define the boss 28.

Referring to FIG. 4, which is a front elevation view of the hand guard 18 of FIG. 3, the bosses 28, 30, 32 cooperate with sliver shaped bosses 34, 36, 38 to define a channel interface consisting of channel interface segments 44, 46, 48. This channel interface formed by the channel interface segments 44, 46, 48 is configured to receive a hand guard cap of a triangular or second select shape. The sliver shaped bosses 34, 36, 38 each define a peripheral interface 50 along with a portion of the boss 28. This peripheral interface 50 is configured to engage a circular or first select shaped hand guard cap. In the embodiment illustrated herein, bosses 39A and 39B are provided to help secure a circular shaped hand guard in place, as best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. The bosses 39A and 39B may be eliminated in other embodiments.

FIG. 7A depicts a circular hand guard cap 52 comprising an end wall 54 having an orifice 56 configured to receive a barrel of a firearm. A proximally extending flange 58 extends from the end wall 54 and defines a circular shape surrounding the orifice 56. A triangular or second shaped hand guard cap 60 comprises an end wall 62 having an orifice 64 configured to receive the barrel of a firearm. A proximally extending flange 66 defines a second or triangular shape surrounding the orifice 64. Referring to FIG. 4, the peripheral interface 50 defines a circular shape configured to be received within the proximally extending flange 58 of the circular hand guard cap 52 as depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9. The proximally extending flange 66 of the triangular hand guard cap 60 is received in the channel interface defined by the channel interface segments 44, 46, 48 as depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11.

In use, the firearm hand guard 18 is installed as follows. Referring to FIG. 1, the firearm 10 will have a hand guard cap 20 mounted to the barrel 12 and prevented from forward movement by the sight triangle 22. As described above, the hand guard cap 20 may have a round configuration as depicted at 52 in FIG. 7A or a triangular configuration as depicted at 60 in FIG. 7B. A first body part or hand guard upper 40 is moved into position on the barrel 12 and the hand guard cap interface 26 engages the hand guard cap 20. The hand guard retainer 16, which may be in the form of a delta ring, is slid proximally toward the housing 14 and the hand guard upper is pivoted over the barrel 12 and the hand guard retainer 16 is then released to capture the proximal end of the hand guard upper 40. Next, the second body part or hand guard lower 42 is aligned lengthwise with the hand guard upper 40 and its portion of the hand guard cap interface 26 is brought into engagement with the hand guard cap 20. The hand guard retainer 16 is then pulled proximally toward the housing 14 and the hand guard lower 42 is pivoted into full lengthwise engagement with the hand guard upper 40 and the hand guard retainer 16 is then released to secure the hand guard in position.

As described above, if the hand guard cap is a circular hand guard cap 52, the peripheral interface 50 defined by the peripheral surfaces of the sliver shaped bosses 34, 36, 38 and a portion of the boss 28 are received inside the proximally extending flange 58 of the circular hand guard cap 52, thus holding the hand guard upper 40 and hand guard lower 42 together at the distal end. If the hand guard cap 20 is of the triangular configuration 60, the triangular hand guard cap 60 engages the interface by the proximally extending flange 66 being received within the channel interface segments 44, 46, 48 depicted in FIG. 4. Further, the hand guard upper 40 and hand guard lower 42 are secured relative to one another by inter engagement of the interlocking structure 43 as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 6.

Various embodiments of the disclosure could also include permutations of the various elements recited in the claims as if each dependent claim was a multiple dependent claim incorporating the limitations of each of the preceding dependent claims as well as the independent claims. Such permutations are expressly within the scope of this disclosure.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a number of embodiments, it would be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in the form and details may be made to the various embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and that the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to act as limitations on the scope of the claims. All references cited herein are incorporated in their entirety by reference. 

1. A hand guard for a firearm, the firearm of a type comprising a barrel with a proximal hand guard retainer at a proximal end and a hand guard cap at a distal end, the hand guard cap comprising an end wall having an orifice configured to axially receive the barrel, and a proximally extending flange defining a select shape surrounding the orifice, the hand guard comprising: at least first and second body pieces configured to mate lengthwise about a barrel of a firearm between a proximal hand guard retainer and a hand guard cap to form the hand guard, the body pieces cooperatively forming a proximal hand guard retainer interface at a proximal end and a hand guard cap interface at a distal end, the hand guard cap interface being configured to engage a first select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a first hand guard cap and a second select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a second hand guard cap.
 2. The hand guard of claim 1 wherein a distal end of the at least first and second body pieces cooperatively form the hand guard cap interface when mated lengthwise.
 3. The hand guard of claim 1 wherein the at least first and second body pieces are attached to the barrel by axially engaging the distal end of each body piece forming the hand guard cap interface with a cooperating portion of the hand guard cap proximally extending flange and engaging the proximal hand guard retainer interface with the proximal hand guard retainer.
 4. The hand guard of claim 1 wherein the hand guard cap interface is configured to receive the first select shape in the form of a circle and the second select shape in the form of a triangle.
 5. The hand guard of claim 1 wherein the hand guard cap interface comprises a plurality of distally extending bosses extending from the distal end of each of the at least first and second body pieces.
 6. The hand guard of claim 5 wherein the distal extending bosses form a peripheral interface configured to engage the first select shaped proximally extending flange by being received therein and a channel interface configured to engage the second shaped proximally extending flange by capturing the flange in a second shaped channel.
 7. The hand guard of claim 6 wherein the peripheral interface is circular and the channel interface is triangular.
 8. The hand guard of claim 6 wherein the channel interface is formed in part by an inner surface of sliver-shaped bosses and the peripheral interface is formed in part by an outer surface of the sliver-shaped bosses.
 9. The hand guard of claim 8 wherein the sliver-shaped bosses extend distally a distance less than the other of the plurality of distally extending bosses.
 10. A hand guard cap interface for a hand guard for a firearm, the hand guard being received between a hand guard cap and a proximal hand guard retainer operatively associated with a barrel of the firearm, the hand guard cap comprising an end wall and a proximally extending flange defining a select shape, the hand guard cap interface comprising a plurality of distally extending bosses, the distally extending bosses being configured to engage a first select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a first hand guard cap and a second select shape defined by a proximally extending flange of a second hand guard cap.
 11. The hand guard cap interface of claim 10 wherein the first select shape is in the form of a circle and the second select shape is in the form of a triangle.
 12. The hand guard cap interface of claim 10 wherein the distal extending bosses form a peripheral interface configured to engage the first select shaped proximally extending flange by being received therein and a channel interface configured to engage the second shaped proximally extending flange by capturing the flange in a second shaped channel.
 13. The hand guard cap interface of claim 12 wherein the peripheral interface is circular and the channel interface is triangular.
 14. The hand guard cap interface of 13 wherein the channel interface is formed in part by an inner surface of sliver-shaped bosses and the peripheral interface is formed in part by an outer surface of the sliver-shaped bosses.
 15. The hand guard cap interface of 14 wherein the sliver-shaped bosses extend distally a distance less than the other of the plurality of distally extending bosses. 